Nine Things I Think

June 27, 2019 By John Beckett

I haven’t done a Nine Things I Think post in over two years. I started the series in 2013 – I thought it would be a good way to cover things that aren’t long enough for their own individual posts. I stopped in 2017 because they weren’t well read, and because I’ve had no shortage of blog-length topics to write about.

But now I have another list of short things I want to talk about, so it’s time for another Nine Things I Think.

1. Paganism In Depth – A Polytheist Approach. My second book was released for sale on June 8. The title is very descriptive of the content – it’s a “next level” Pagan book that goes deeper, from a polytheist perspective. It covers the ideas, concepts, and principles on which my Paganism is built. It has a strong emphasis on practice – all the things we do on a regular basis that build our skills and strengthen our relationships with our Gods and spirits. And it addresses many of the challenges we face in moving from a casual Paganism to a deep Paganism.

Paganism in Depth is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Llewellyn, and at selected book stores and magic shops. If you see me at a Pagan gathering I’ll have copies to sell, and I’ll be happy to sign your book no matter where you bought it.

2. Paganism In Depth – the on-line class. Do you want to take your Paganism deeper? Do you want to explore polytheism with guidance from a practicing devotional polytheist? Then sign up for Paganism In Depth – the On-line Class. This will be a six-week class based on the new book. It wasn’t written as a textbook, but I think we can use it for that just fine.

Each week will have a video presentation delivered on-demand. Classes will have reading, practice, and writing about what you experience. None of that is mandatory – if you don’t want to do the homework that’s your business. But if you go to the trouble of doing it, I’ll go to the trouble of reading what you turn in and offering feedback.

The cost is $50 for the entire 6-week series, and there will be a limited number of scholarships available for those experiencing financial difficulties.

Sign-up begins July 5 – look for announcements here, and on Facebook and Twitter. The class begins August 1^st.

3. Mystic South – workshops. I’ll be at the third annual Mystic South conference in Atlanta July 19 – 21. It’s quickly become my favorite Pagan conference. Here are my comments on last year’s gathering, and on the inaugural gathering in 2017.

This year’s headliners are Lilith Dorsey, Sangoma Oludoye, and Jason Mankey, and Tuatha Dea are the musical guests.

I’ll be presenting “Connecting to the Land Where You Are” on Friday at 12:30 in the Azalea Room, and “Self-care for Priests and Other Pagan Leaders” on Saturday at 12:30, also in the Azalea Room.

4. Mystic South – conversations. One of my favorite parts of any Pagan gathering are the one-on-one and small group conversations you just can’t have anywhere else. Several of you have approached me via e-mail and on Facebook about something you want to talk about. I have quite a few obligations, and I want to get to some of the other presentations (the schedule is really good and really full), but I want to have as many of these conversations as possible.

I’m arriving Thursday and should be in by late afternoon – Thursday evening is pretty open. After that, it just depends. Contact me when you get in (FB Messenger, text, in-person) and let’s set up something.

5. UU Sunday Services. I’ll be presenting a shorter version of “Connecting to the Land Where You Are” in a UU Sunday service at the Denton Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in Denton Texas on July 28, and at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Victoria Texas on August 25. If you’re in the area, come out and say hello.

6. The kindness of the Gods. Weekend before last I was in Seattle for a private event. I was supposed to fly back to Dallas on Sunday evening, but storms in North Texas caused my flight to be canceled. And because I have no status with any of the airlines, the soonest I could get back was Tuesday evening. Thankfully, I have a paying job that’s understanding, and a good friend who put me up for two nights (Have you seen Joe Perri’s photography? It’s awesome). Instead of going back to work on Monday, or hanging out in the airport, I spent the day visiting waterfalls around Mount Rainier.

The Gods I serve are demanding. Sometimes They can be harsh. But other times They can be extremely kind, and for that I am very, very thankful.

7. But now I’m out of vacation. My paying job is understanding, but I still had to burn two days of vacation I was saving for other trips later in the year. I’ve got enough left for the late December trip my wife and I take every year, but that’s it. If you were thinking about inviting me to your Pagan Pride Day or other gathering later this year, I won’t be able to get away.

On one hand, that’s disappointing. I love going to conferences and gatherings, like the Southern New Hampshire Pagan Pride Day in 2017 and the ADF Rocky Mountain Retreat in 2018. On the other hand, I’m not exactly young anymore, and it’s getting harder and harder to get home late Sunday night and go back to work on Monday morning.

8. I’m already planning 2020 travel. There are two gatherings on my permanent schedule: the ADF Texas Imbolc Retreat in February and Mystic South in July. And I’m planning a major vacation / pilgrimage for May – where depends on world events. Beyond that, while I have a lot of vacation by American standards (due to 22 years with the same employer) there are only so many trips I can do.

If you’re planning a retreat, convention, or other Pagan gathering and you’d like me to speak, present, and/or lead ritual, the sooner we start talking the better the odds I’ll be able to attend. I don’t charge an appearance fee – I do expect travel expenses to be covered.

9. Current thoughts on the 2020 election. Enough about me. Back in April I wrote The Reasonable Liberal’s Guide to the 2020 Democratic Primary. Since then we’ve had even more candidates declare for the Democratic nomination for President. I agree with whoever said that some of them need to drop out and run for Senate, or the House, or even a position in their state legislature. All but one of them are going to lose – they need to be doing something productive.

Joe Biden’s personal conduct is showing why he’s not Presidential material. He’s better than Trump, but that’s not saying much. The candidates I want to like – Kamala Harris, Corey Booker, and Tulsi Gabbard – have done nothing to grab my attention.

Elizabeth Warren continue to impress me with her calm demeanor and her detailed policy proposals. As much as I want a dynamic candidate who can inspire people – especially the ones who voted for Obama in 2008 and 2012 but stayed home in 2016 – it’s more important to find someone who can govern well. Warren has convinced me she can do that.

But I’m still listening to anyone and everyone.

The Iowa caucuses are February 3, the New Hampshire primary is February 11, and Super Tuesday (which includes Texas this time) is March 3.

Nine Things I Think: Appearances, Journals, and New Pagan Websites

March 19, 2017 By John Beckett

Nine Things I Think is an irregular feature whenever I have a list of things I want to talk about that aren’t long enough for their own individual posts. This edition focuses on my speaking and other activities at various Pagan gatherings, but it also has a couple unrelated items. As always, feel free to expand on any of these topics in the comments section.

1) National Day of Prayer. I’ve been invited to speak at the Denton Interfaith National Day of Prayer on Thursday, May 4 at 7:00 PM. This year’s event will be held at Trinity Presbyterian Church. I’ve offered Pagan prayer at interfaith events in Denton in 2011 and again in 2014 – I’m honored to be a part of this event again.

Personal prayers offered for the public good in any tradition is a good thing. Unfortunately, many conservative churches use the National Day of Prayer as a platform for proselytizing and for promoting Christian dominionism. I’m happy to be part of a National Day of Prayer event that includes Pagans, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, and Jews, as well as a wide variety of Christians.

2) The Path of Paganism is due out May 8. A few people got to see proof copies of my book The Path of Paganism: An Experienced-Based Guide to Modern Pagan Practice at Pantheacon. I wasn’t there, so I wasn’t one of them. But it’s getting close to general availability.

It’s available for pre-orders from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or direct from Llewellyn, the publisher. If you know you’re going to buy it please consider pre-ordering now. You won’t be charged until it ships, and large pre-orders from readers will turn into larger orders from book sellers to the publisher, which increases distribution, which means more people will see it, buy it, and read it. This is a book that needs to be read.

I heard vague rumors about Llewellyn’s editing process, but I’ve been very pleased with my experience. 80% of their recommended changes had me smacking my head and saying “that’s much better – why didn’t I write it like that in the first place?” 10% were “I’m OK either way and you’re the publishing professionals, so we’ll do it your way.” But the final 10% were things where I said “no, it needs to stay the way I wrote it and here’s why.” Those things stayed the same. This has been a very collaborative process and everyone’s first priority has been to make the book the best it can be.

3) The Cernunnos Ritual returns. This Saturday (March 25) is Denton CUUPS Spring Equinox ritual. I’ll be participating, but my primary concern has been with our Beltane circle on May 6. Beltane will be a revised version of the Cernunnos Ritual we did three times in 2013.

The ritual’s emphasis will be on Cernunnos (of course) and on forming and strengthening alliances in troublesome times. This will be as close to ecstatic ritual as we get in a public setting. It was a great experience in 2013 and I expect it will be even better this year.

I rarely promote our local rituals here, since the vast majority of blog readers don’t live in the Dallas – Fort Worth area. But this will be a special ritual, and if you’ve ever thought about making a weekend trip to Denton, the first weekend in May would be the time to do it.

4) DFW Pagan Unity Fest. The 2017 DFW Pagan Unity Fest will be Saturday, May 20 from 11AM till 5PM at Arlington UU Church. There will be rituals, speakers, vendors, musicians, and lots of good Pagan conversation. Denton CUUPS will have a booth and I’ll be speaking on “Unstated Assumptions and Their Impact on Paganism.”

Come out and celebrate being a Pagan in North Texas!

teaching at the 2015 DFW Pagan Unity Fest — *presenting at the 2015 DFW Pagan Unity Fest*

5) Mystic South in Atlanta. Last weekend I got official notification my presentation proposal for Mystic South has been approved. My title is “Ordering Sweet Tea in the North – the Assumptions of Our Wider Culture and Their Impact on Contemporary Paganism.” It’s a longer version of the presentation I’m doing for Pagan Unity Fest – bigger time slot, longer presentation.

Mystic South is a new hotel-based convention to be held in Atlanta on July 21-23. It has both an academic track and a practitioner track. Featured guests include Dorothy Morrison, Katrina Messenger, Orion Foxwood, and Byron Ballard. The featured musical performer is Tuatha Dea.

I won’t be the only Denton Pagan presenting: Cynthia’s proposal “The Mythic Roots of Southern Hospitality” was also accepted.

6) Beyond the Gates. I’ll be a guest of honor at Beyond the Gates: Honoring Our Earth, held August 24-27 at Trout Lake Abbey in Washington state. This is an ADF gathering at a place I’ve been wanting to visit for quite some time. The pictures I’ve seen have been awesome and I look forward to seeing it and taking some of my own.

Other guests of honor will be Courtney Weber and Jason Mankey. I’ve offered the organizers three workshops – we’ll see which one they choose.

7) Future Travels. That will probably conclude my Pagan travel for 2017. I have a little vacation time left unscheduled, but when I throw in a real vacation and a Winter Solstice getaway with Cathy, that pretty much burns up my travel budget for the year. I’m going to try to schedule a couple of local book signing events, but at this point I don’t know where or when those will be.

I’m planning to be back at Pantheacon in 2018. I’ll put in a workshop proposal, but I haven’t given any thought to what that might be. Then it will be up to the Pantheacon folks to decide if they want it or not.

8) A Beautiful Resistance. Rhyd Wildermuth sent me a copy of the third edition of the Gods & Radicals journal A Beautiful Resistance. This one is subtitled “Left Sacred” and I recently finished reading it.

I reviewed the first edition of A Beautiful Resistance: “Everything We Already Are” early last year. I didn’t agree with all of it, but I found it very informative and in some places, inspiring. My interactions with some of the radical Pagan folks were rather uneasy last year, but I remain both in general agreement with their goals and somewhat skeptical of their methods.

“Left Sacred” strikes me as a more modest effort than “Everything We Already Are.” It’s slightly smaller (96 pages vs. 120) and it isn’t divided into themed sections. The essays are more matter of fact, as though the writers have realized the enormity of their task and have settled in for a long slog (though to be fair, some of the writers have been doing this for a long time).

As always, I prefer the more explicitly religious, spiritual, and magical articles. I enjoyed Dr. Bones tale of meeting the devil at the crossroads and found it instructive. Nimue Brown’s “The Druidry of Mapping” addressed some of the same cosmic map issues I explored, only from a different perspective. And I’m in strong agreement with Anthony Rella’s “The Gods of My Ancestors,” which deals honestly with the question of race and reminds us that the Gods call who They call for reasons that often have little to do with blood.

Rhyd’s opening essay “Awakening Against What’s Awakened” deals with the frequent (he says inevitable) abuse that accompanies authority, and he makes a sound argument for considering yourself the only authority in your life – not the Gods and certainly not Their priests. I’ve got a response to that percolating in my head, but it’s more of a divergence than a rebuttal. It’s titled “The Authority of the Gods” and I hope to write it sometime in the next couple of weeks.

In any case, if you like the work of the Gods & Radicals staff, you’ll like the latest edition of A Beautiful Resistance.

9) Pagan Bloggers. The new site Pagan Bloggers opens this Tuesday, March 21. Subtitled “A Community of Pagan Blogs,” it’s the new home for the work of 72 writers and artists. It was started in the aftermath of the Patheos contract issues in early February by Jamie Morgan, who says “I think it is so important right now that Pagans have a network and portal of their own, run by one of their own.”

I’m staying at Patheos Pagan. It’s been a good platform for me, and it remains a good platform for me. I’m sorry some fellow writers and friends left, but I respect their decision and I wish them well, whether they move to their own independent sites, to Pagan Bloggers, or somewhere else.

I know some of the writers who’ve signed up for Pagan Bloggers – I’m hoping the new site encourages them to write more frequently. I’m also looking forward to hearing from some of the writers I don’t know.

We aren’t competitors – there’s no fixed demand for Pagan blogs. Good writing sends readers looking for more good writing, so if one site does well, we all do well. As Brendan Myers explained in The Earth, The Gods and The Soul, Paganism needs institutions to flourish and grow, and blogging sites are some of the most important institutions for the exchange of ideas.

Good luck to Pagan Bloggers and all its contributors.

Nine Things I Think

September 27, 2016 By John Beckett

Nine Things I Think is an irregular feature whenever I have a list of things I want to talk about that aren’t long enough for their own individual posts. There’s no theme, just nine things I want to bring to your attention. Feel free to expand on any of these topics in the comments section.

1. The Wild Hunt’s 2016 Fall Funding Drive began last Thursday. They’re trying to raise $18,000 to pay for web hosting expenses and to pay their writers for the work of investigating and reporting the news of the Pagan world. While the mainstream media will occasionally run an article of interest (particularly if it’s controversial) The Wild Hunt is the only media organization dedicated to reporting on what’s going on in the Big Tent of Paganism.

I don’t always agree with The Wild Hunt’s editorial choices, but even when I think they’re wrong, they’re still bringing us news no one else will. I’m supporting them again this year, and I encourage you to support them at whatever level is right for you.

2. I don’t usually review books in Nine Things I Think, but this time I’ve got two books I want to bring to your attention.

The first is Practical Astrology for Witches and Pagans by Ivo Dominguez Jr. Subtitled “Using the Planets and the Stars for Effective Spellwork, Rituals, and Magickal Work,” it was released by Weiser on January 1, 2016.

I’ve never paid a lot of attention to astrology, but lately I’ve been convinced that was a mistake. Astrological influences don’t rule your life, but they do have an influence on it, sometimes minor and sometimes very major. I have three books on astrology on my shelves – they were dense and I don’t think I finished any of them. Ivo Dominguez Jr. not only knows a lot about astrology, he knows how to use it in practical applications – I thought his book might the one I needed.

I was right. This moderately sized (216 pages) book presents the concepts of astrology without getting bogged down in all the minutia (and I had forgotten how much minutia is in astrology!). It won’t teach you how to be an astrologer, but it will tell you how to incorporate astrology into your magical workings and into your life.

I’m going to need to read it again at least once and probably two or three times for it to really sink in, but now I have the general Pagan introduction I need.

3. The second book is Fairycraft: Following The Path Of Fairy Witchcraft by Morgan Daimler. It was released by Moon Books on June 24, 2016. This is not one of their Pagan Portals series of very short introductory books – it runs 272 pages.

Morgan Daimler probably knows Celtic literature as well as anyone in the Pagan community, and it shows in this book. These are not Disney fairies she’s writing about – they’re the fae of Irish legend and lore, some of whom will deal fairly with you if you’re scrupulously honest with them, and some who would just as soon eat you for dinner.

The book covers some complicated (and at times, controversial) material in an straightforward way. It doesn’t make it out to be deep and dark and scary, but it makes it clear that it’s not safe, particularly if you don’t respect it. It adds enough witchcraft and polytheism to make it a complete system (thus “path” in the title), if one was inclined to make it their primary spiritual path.

This is an “advanced beginner” book. It shouldn’t be the first book you read on witchcraft, or on fairies, but if you’re interested in either – or if you need a reference to shut up people spouting naïve crap about the Good Neighbors – it will make a good addition to your library.

4. The book I’ve been working on for the past couple of years and have mentioned in passing a time or two now has a publication date. The Path of Paganism – An Experience-Based Guide to Modern Pagan Practice will be published in May of 2017 by Llewellyn.

This is a “200 level” introduction to modern Pagan religion. It’s intended for advanced beginners and intermediate practitioners. In addition to presenting an introduction to modern Pagan beliefs and practices, The Path of Paganism also examines the unstated assumptions of mainstream beliefs and practices. It looks at the tension they create, the difficulties they cause for Pagans, and how we can resolve the conflicts within ourselves… and how we can live lives that are authentic, meaningful, and virtuous.

I’ve seen the cover mockup and I love it, but it’s not final so I can’t share it yet. As soon as it’s official, I’ll pass it along.

5. I watched the first debate last night. Let me start by saying I understand why some people are voting for Donald Trump. They’re not all racists. They have some legitimate concerns and if we don’t address them, whoever comes after Trump will be worse.

That said, how anyone can listen to Trump for five minutes and think he’s capable of being President is beyond me. I don’t care how much you don’t trust Hillary (I voted for Bernie Sanders in the primary), Trump as President would make you long for the good old days when George W. Bush (a good man who surrounded himself with some very bad men) only embarrassed the country once or twice a week.

The second debate will be October 9, and the third and final debate will be October 16 19. The Vice Presidential candidates will debate October 4.

The winner will be the candidate who can get the most of their supporters to the polls. Democrats outnumber Republicans, but Republicans turn out at a much higher rate. Do not sit out this election.

6. Is Libertarian Gary Johnson a legitimate candidate? He didn’t reach 15% in the polls so he was excluded from the debates, along with Green candidate Jill Stein. That sounds reasonable, until you learn that the Commission on Presidential Debates was formed specifically to enable the exclusion of third party candidates (previously, the League of Women Voters had managed the debates). The US political system is set up for two parties – that’s why Bernie Sanders ran for President as a Democrat, even though he’s been an independent since 1979.

I voted for Gary Johnson in 2012. I was unhappy with Barack Obama’s first term, Mitt Romney was going to carry Texas no matter what, so I voted to support a third party. My hope is that conservatives who cannot bring themselves to vote for Hillary will vote for Johnson instead. I have issues with libertarianism (especially in its extreme forms), but Gary Johnson would make a decent President.

Unlike the Republican nominee.

7. Earlier this month, Denton CUUPS took a weekend and retreated to the woods. James Stevens was a member of Denton CUUPS until his death from cancer in 2010. We’ve stayed in touch with the Stevens family and they’ve graciously allowed us to continue using their land.

It was hot on Friday night, but a storm moved through early Saturday morning and cooled things off. That’s the second time I’ve been through a thunderstorm out there – there’s nothing quite like knowing there’s nothing but a couple thin sheets of nylon between you and the elements… particularly when the rain is pouring and the winds are over 30 MPH. But we all came though it fine and Saturday was beautiful.

It was hazy Saturday night, so we didn’t get the benefit of the dark skies, but we watched as the mists rolled in across the fields and into the wood. It wasn’t entirely a weather thing, either…

There is no substitute for spending time in Nature.

8. I’ll be speaking at Pathways UU Church at 10:00 AM on Sunday, October 9. The service title is “The Two Obligations of Good Religion.” Pathways is located in Hurst, northeast of Fort Worth and west of DFW airport. If you’re in the area, come out and say hello.

9. In response to several questions I’ve had, no, I won’t be at Pantheacon in February. Pantheacon is an expensive trip for me – I can’t afford to go every year. If my book was going to be out in time, I was going to go anyway, but since it won’t be out till May, I’ll wait and go again in 2018.

I’m still thinking about my 2017 Pagan travel schedule. There are a couple of events I’ll almost certainly do, but other than that I’m going to try to spend less on travel next year.

That’s what I’m thinking – what about you?

Nine Things I Think

January 28, 2016 By John Beckett

1) This Saturday is Denton CUUPS’ Imbolc Circle, our first public gathering since the fire at Denton UU on December 16. Only the sanctuary has been restored – the fellowship hall (which includes the kitchen and nursery) is at least another month away from being ready for use. But it will be good to be back in our building. Our ritual will honor Brighid and will focus on purification, both of which are traditional for Imbolc and are especially appropriate for us at this time.

*Ritual at the 2015 ADF Texas Imbolc Retreat*

2) Next weekend I’ll be at the ADF Texas Imbolc Retreat at U Bar U in Kerrville, Texas. This will be my third year at this event. It’s a weekend of rituals, workshops, storytelling, and great conversation. There is simply no substitute for at least occasionally spending a few days immersed in Paganism and Druidry. If you can’t go to a large national gathering, find a smaller retreat near you. Even if it’s not exactly your tradition, you’ll benefit from getting away and spending time with like-minded folks.

I’ll be presenting “The Dark Side of Druidry,” a week in advance of doing it at…

3) Pantheacon 2016. After years of making excuses, I finally went in 2014 and I loved it. Pantheacon is an expensive trip for me – I didn’t go in 2015, but I’m booked for this year. And I’m on the main program.

I’ll be presenting “The Dark Side of Druidry” on Saturday, February 13, at 9:00 AM PST in the Monterey Room. I’m actually happy to have an early slot: no matter how late the Eastern and Central time zone folks stay up on Friday night, they’ll be awake early on Saturday. West Coast friends – just set your alarm clocks to get up in time to make it. If you just can’t get up that early I’ll be presenting “Bardic Magic” on Sunday, February 14, at 3:30 PM PST in the ADF Hospitality Suite, Room 253.

I’ll also be doing some work in the Temple of the Morrigan, which is organized and facilitated by the Coru Cathubodua Priesthood. If you’re at Pantheacon, come to one of my presentations or just say hello in passing.

4) A couple years ago I wrote about The Reality of Limits. In that discussion, I talked about “soft limits” – things that are possible separately but impossible together. There is no better example of soft limits than Pantheacon. In each time slot, there are as many as 13 different activities on the main schedule, plus stuff going on in the hospitality suites, plus private gatherings and informal conversations. You can do any one of these things, but you can’t do them all.

There are numerous activities on the program I really want to do – either because of the material or the presenter or both – that I’m just not going to be able to do. And I’m too old to do without things like food and sleep!

It should be a fun weekend, but it will be a busy weekend.

5) Then in March I’ll be at the OBOD Gulf Coast Gathering in Louisiana, where I’ll be giving my “Bardic Magic” presentation again. I went to the inaugural GCG last year and had a great time. It’s a smaller event, and it’s limited by the size of the campground… plus word has gotten around about how good the OBOD camps are. This year’s GCG sold out in three days.

*Seven Sisters Oak – 2015 OBOD Gulf Coast Gathering*

We really need more OBOD camps in this country. Organizing them is a lot of work, but it’s well within the capabilities of a small group of dedicated Druids.

6) It’s not till August, but it’s not too early to register for this year’s Many Gods West conference in Olympia, Washington. Last year’s conference was excellent, but the host hotel left much to be desired (like air conditioning that could keep up with a heat wave). This year’s conference will be held at a much nicer venue.

Many Gods West is a polytheist conference. While there’s lots of fun stuff, it has a far more serious tone than Pantheacon, and a more formal setting than retreats like ADF Texas Imbolc or OBOD Gulf Coast Gathering. There’s nothing quite like it on the Pagan convention / festival schedule.

I’m going to present something on the theme of “building polytheist community,” but I’m still talking with the organizers about just what that presentation will look like.

7) And since this Nine Things I Think has turned into John’s 2016 Pagan Travel Schedule, let me mention the final event. I’ll be a “special guest” at the 2016 CUUPS Convocation, August 26-28 in Salem, Massachusetts. This will be CUUPS first convocation since 2004. The theme is “Awakening Our Tribe.”

Witch Trials Memorial - Salem — *Witch Trials Memorial – Salem*

Other special guests are Rev. Shirley Ranck, author of Cakes for the Queen of Heaven and The Grandmother Galaxy; Gypsy Ravis, High Priestess WQ of the Temple of Akhelarre and Principal Minister of The Temple of Nine Wells, ATC in Salem; and Jerrie Hildebrand, member of the CUUPS Board of Trustees, an advisor for the Lady Liberty League, and an Ambassador to the Parliament of the World’s Religions. The Musical Guest is Silver Branch, a local band that performs traditional earth-centered music including early folk, Celtic, and contemporary Pagan music.

8) Travel is expensive and there are environmental costs as well as financial ones. It can be frustrating, especially when air travel and airport security are involved. But there is simply no substitute for going some place you’ve never been and experiencing it first-hand. There is no substitute for meeting new people, or for talking face to face with someone you’ve only met over the internet.

For all its costs and difficulties, travel is cheaper, safer, and easier now than at any time in human history. You can travel on almost any budget. Whether you travel to festivals and conferences, go on touristy vacations, or perform religious pilgrimages, go. Places change, political situations change, and some day you will no longer be physically capable of traveling. Go while you can.

*Mendenhall Glacier, Juneau, Alaska, 2011. If you want to see it, go now before it melts.*

9) We’re approaching the end of January and there’s only one real football game left in the season – the Super Bowl… which is as much of a cultural event as a sporting event. I can’t remember a year when I’ve watched less football. I’ve been busy, Dallas had a horrible year (4-12), and while my favorite college team (Tennessee) had a good year, they got off to a bad start and I didn’t watch them much till the very end of the season.

But I’m happy Peyton Manning is back in the Super Bowl, and while I’ll be cheering for Denver, if Carolina wins I won’t be terribly upset. The main thing is that the New England Cheatriots (a very apt name I borrowed from Jason Mankey) have already been eliminated.

That’s what I’m thinking – what about you?

Nine Things I Think

September 29, 2015 By John Beckett

1) Last week’s papal visit to the United States generated polarized comments from the Pagan community. Some Pagans love him and point to his emphasis on the poor and the environment. Others hate him and point to his refusal to consider ordaining women and to his backward views on gender, sexuality, and reproductive issues.

When Francis was elected pope two years ago, I said this:

The Catholic church has a long tradition and an immense bureaucracy and like a large ocean liner it cannot be turned quickly – assuming it wants to turn at all. It is not reasonable to expect this pope to reform his church in the ways those of us on the liberal side of the religious spectrum would prefer. But there are things he can do within the bounds of traditional Catholicism that will make our world a better place.

Francis has done exactly what I hoped he would do. He’s brought his church from the 15^th century into the 19^th century. That’s not enough, but it’s progress, and I’m happy for it.

As a Pagan, that’s all I can expect.

2) Volkswagen has been found to have manipulated engine programming in order to pass emissions tests on their cars with diesel engines. When the car is operating in a way consistent with testing, the engine retunes itself to lower pollution, but at the cost of both performance and fuel economy. Under normal operations, these cars emit as much as 40 times more pollutants than allowed.

Almost all diesel engines use urea injection to reduce emissions – VW was the exception. They managed to meet the requirements without it – that saved money for VW and for VW owners. Now we see how they did it. Fixing this is going to be expensive for VW and for owners, regardless of how it’s done.

When Cathy and I were in England in 2007, we had a diesel Golf for a rental car. Over a week of mostly highway driving, I got 47 MPG – and that’s US gallons. My Prius only does a little better and the diesel Golf was a lot more fun to drive. I thought about getting a VW diesel last year, but the Prius has a much better reliability record. I’m really, really glad I stayed with the Prius.

3) Some of my libertarian friends like to rant against government regulation. This is a perfect example of why we need good regulations and strong enforcement. Left to the “free market” VW and other auto makers would have continued to do like they did for years – dump harmful pollutants into the atmosphere at whatever rate they liked. As someone old enough to remember breathing before the Clean Air Act, I’m very glad we have environmental regulations. I just wish we had adequate regulations on carbon dioxide emissions.

I’ve also worked in corporate environments long enough to know that executives are very concerned about the costs on their books and completely unconcerned about the costs on anyone else’s. If they can pollute and leave the cleanup and health costs to others, they will.

Fortunately, corporate executives live in mortal fear of bad publicity and are terrified of going to jail. Regulations force them to include the public good in their decision making.

4) It was very nice talking with Kristoffer Hughes at the East Coast Gathering. Kris is loads of fun to hang out with, and I greatly appreciate drawing on his experience with the Anglesey Druid Order. But I wasn’t expecting a gift. Kris found this pendant at the UK equivalent of a flea market from a seller named Beckett. That was a pretty good sign it needed to go to another Beckett in Texas.

Kris, thank you so much. I love the pendant and it goes perfectly with my new robe.

5) I’ve been to the East Coast Gathering for five straight years. This year was the first time I made a side trip to Bushkill Falls, which is about a half hour south of the camp. Others have been talking about it for years – I don’t know what took me so long, but I’m glad I finally went. It really is a beautiful place.

Bushkill Falls bills itself as “the Niagara Falls of Pennsylvania.” It’s nowhere near as large as Niagara, but it is a nice series of smaller falls. I had planned to spend about an hour there – Cynthia (who was traveling with me again) and I ended up going on a longer hike and being there for over two hours.

I complained about the entrance fee ($13.50), but once I got in I realized there’s a lot of work and expense in maintaining the boardwalks. Without them, most people couldn’t safely access the falls, and those who did would damage the land.

If you’re in the area, stop in and enjoy the falls.

6) This past Saturday I attended the first-ever Alban Elfed celebration of the River of Stars Druid Fellowship, an OBOD Seed Group. River of Stars is the first OBOD group in the entire state of Texas. We met at the Oak Cliff UU Church, performed the Light-Body exercise in the labyrinth, then held the ritual in a clearing in the walking trails. Other than the background noise you’d never know you were in the city of Dallas.

River of Stars has big plans for future events. If you’re an OBOD member within driving distance of Dallas, check out their Facebook page and make plans to attend.

7) Now that we’re past Alban Elfed / Mabon / Autumn Equinox / pick your name, it’s time to start thinking toward Samhain. If you’re in the North Texas area, I encourage you to celebrate Samhain with Denton CUUPS. We will honor the Gods, the ancestors, and the spirits of the land. We’ll have an ancestors altar for your pictures and other mementos. And we’ll walk the Spiral Labyrinth.

This is something we first did in 2011. It’s beautiful and powerful. It’s also a ton of work to set up and take down, which is part of why we haven’t done it since. But it’s time to do it again, and I’ve been getting instructions on how to update the ritual, so we’re doing it.

We usually have good weather for Samhain (except for 2013, when an unexpected thunderstorm ran us inside after we had already set up outside), so we expect to be outdoors. But if it rains, we’ll move inside. Samhain goes on regardless of the weather.

8) I’ll be in the pulpit twice in November. I’ll be speaking on “Worshiping Fearsome Gods,” an adaptation of the workshop I presented at Pagan Unity Fest. The children’s story will be “Cormac and the Silver Branch” which I told around the campfire at the East Coast Gathering.

I’ll be at Arlington UU on Sunday, November 8. Services begin at 11:00 AM. Then on Sunday, November 22 I’ll be at Pathways UU. Their services begin at 10:00 AM. If you’re in the area, please plan to come out and say hello.

9) So John Boehner is going to resign as Speaker of the House. I’m no fan of Boehner, but at least he tried to make government work. I’m hoping and praying the Republicans elect someone fairly moderate, but I suspect they’re going to go for a Tea Partier who’s spoiling to shut the government down.

I’m a political liberal, and the older I get the more my views move toward socialism. But at the end of the day, I just want things to work. I’m sick of elected officials who want to take their ball and go home because they can’t get what they want. They love to talk about separation of powers, up until the Democrat in the White House keeps them from turning the country even farther right than it already is.

Don’t put your faith in government. Put your faith in the Gods, ancestors, and spirits of Nature. Put your faith in your community… which means you’d better be building a community, even if it requires work, and even if you don’t get everything you want from it. Put your faith in yourself.

But for the sake of all the Gods, vote for sane adults.

That’s what I’m thinking – what about you?

Nine Things I Think

August 30, 2015 By John Beckett

1) There is no Pagan Pride Day in North Texas this year. There is, however, a Pagan Unity Fest, which will be held next Saturday, September 5 from 10:00 AM to 6:30 PM at the Arlington UU Church, which was the site of last year’s DFW Pagan Pride Day. There will be the usual assortment of vendors, musicians, dancers, workshops, and rituals.

I’ll be speaking on “Worshiping Fearsome Gods” at 11:55 AM. If you’re in the area, come out and spend some time with your fellow Pagans.

2) The nearest official Pagan Pride Day is in Austin. It will be Saturday, November 14^th at the Zilker Park Polo Tables. Austin PPD says:

We foster pride in Pagan identity in Central Texas. Each year we celebrate our identity by hosting a religious acceptance event and inviting the non-pagans in the city to be our guests and learn about paganism, dispelling any myths and cultural misconceptions about who we are. We make ourselves accessible for questions and understanding. It will be our pleasure to meet you, come join us!

3) There is finally an OBOD Seed Group in North Texas. River of Stars Druid Fellowship was recently formed. Their first public event will be Alban Elfed (the Autumn Equinox) on Saturday, September 26 at the UU Church of Oak Cliff (which, coincidentally, was the site of Pagan Pride Day in 2010 and 2011). Another event is booked for the main sanctuary – the Druids will be in the wooded space outdoors… which is very appropriate for Druids!

The event begins at 2:00 PM with a meet and greet. A meditation will be held at 3:00 and the ritual will begin at 4:00. A potluck dinner will follow. The organizers ask that if you’re going, please RSVP on their Facebook page so they know how many to plan for.

If you’re an OBOD Bard, Ovate, or Druid, or if you’re just interested in OBOD Druidry and Nature spirituality, come out and be a part of the first official OBOD ritual in North Texas.

4) Keeping with the OBOD theme, in less than three weeks I’ll be back in Pennsylvania for the OBOD East Coast Gathering. This will be my fifth year at the ECG. I’m looking forward to seeing friends I only see once or maybe twice a year, talking with Damh the Bard and Kristoffer Hughes (mainly listening while they talk!), enjoying the beautiful hills and trees, and spending a long weekend immersed in Druidry.

The East Coast Gathering sold out less than 24 hours after registration opened and I would expect something similar next year. However, we had plenty of room at this year’s inaugural Gulf Coast Gathering and while I expect a bigger turnout in 2016, I wouldn’t expect it to fill up so quickly. If you’re an OBOD member and you’re looking for a camp in the United States, consider joining us for Alban Eilir (the Spring Equinox) March 17-20 at Fontainebleau State Park in Mandeville, Louisiana.

5) My local spiritual home is Denton CUUPS. As I’ve said on numerous occasions, we’re not your typical CUUPS group: we’re older and larger, and we have a much stronger public presence than most CUUPS chapters. We also have more polytheists. This means I talk about our work to a lot of folks who aren’t familiar with CUUPS.

In a conversation at Many Gods West, the Anomalous Thracian told me that when I say “Denton CUUPS” what he hears is “Dented Cup” and he imagines a chalice with a dent in it, but that’s still beautiful and functional.

And so I present to you the Dented Cup. It’s been used in countless Denton CUUPS rituals to offer wine and other libations to various Gods and spirits, and occasionally to share the blessings of the Gods in a small gathering. The tarnish is authentic – it’s one of the first magical tools I bought when I began exploring Paganism over 20 years ago. The dent is a new addition… I rather like it.

6) Gordon White at Rune Soup is a chaos magician who’s the answer to “one of these things is not like the others” when you look at the blogroll on the right side of this page. But he’s informative and entertaining even when he’s writing on conspiracy theories or UFOs (and I’m in awe of his photos) so I read him regularly. And occasionally he brings insight into matters we’re discussing here.

Gordon’s post from last week is very relevant to our current discussion about terms and meaning:

Semantic drift is the tsunami-warning klaxon that should see you seek the higher ground. Not even terms that come across to us, dusty with age and shiny with use; like tulpa; can avoid the warp and diminution of their indigenous meaning. When hurled into the gaping maw of monoculture, everything becomes a dreamcatcher – a commodified cultural orphan best used for entertaining the children on a wet weekend.

The Pagan internet can turn into an echo chamber at times – it’s good to read perspectives that share our non-mainstream worldview but that approach it from a completely different angle.

7) After years of years of saying “I can’t afford it” and whispering “and I can’t deal with the crowds” I finally went to Pantheacon in 2014. I had a great time. The workshops and rituals were good, but the main attraction was seeing and talking face to face with friends I see regularly on Facebook but rarely in person.

I managed to deal with the crowds just fine, but it really is an expensive trip – one I can’t make every year. But I’m going back next year – I’m already registered for Pantheacon 2016. I also turned in a proposal to lead a workshop – we’ll see if I make the cut.

8) Donald Trump is leading the Republican primary because he’s saying what some people think but are afraid to say. But Trump has the blind spot I’ve seen in many powerful people: he thinks he has all the answers and solutions are as simple as forcing people to do what he wants. That simple, black and white, good guy / bad guy dichotomy is very attractive to a lot of people, particularly people whose lives are both difficult and complicated. Would-be dictators get elected all the time in other countries – don’t assume it can’t happen here.

Now, I don’t think it will happen here. Contrary to the memes some of my liberal friends are circulating around Facebook, I don’t think Trump speaks for average Republicans… and I know he doesn’t speak for the Republican establishment. Trump is currently leading the pack at 27%, but once the voting starts and candidates start dropping out, I expect their supporters to flock to other traditional candidates and not move to Trump – I think he’s got about all he’s going to get.

I don’t like Donald Trump and I think his politics are all wrong, but I have to admit it’s refreshing to hear a politician say what he thinks instead of what his handlers tell him will get the most votes.

I’m still voting for Bernie Sanders. He’s pretty plain-spoken too, and unlike The Donald, he makes a lot of sense.

9) Are you ready for some football? I know a lot of you are too cool for sports – much less football – and it is a game of excess and brutality, but I love it. College football starts this Thursday and the NFL starts next Thursday (September 10). Dallas opens against the Giants on Sunday Night Football on September 13. This time last year I was expecting more mediocrity from the Cowboys – they ended up going 12-4, winning a playoff game, and coming within a catch that wasn’t a catch because of a bad rule from the NFC Championship Game. This year I’m expecting a good season, but you just never know. I’m just glad football is back.

That’s what I’m thinking – what about you?

Fontainebleau State Park - home of the OBOD Gulf Coast Gathering — *Fontainebleau State Park – home of the OBOD Gulf Coast Gathering*

Nine Things I Think

July 26, 2015 By John Beckett

1) The Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans (CUUPS) has completed our Revisioning process. Over a ten month period, we surveyed members and participants, past and current Board members, CUUPS chapters, and host congregations. We asked “who are we?” “what do we do?” “what do we want to be?” and “what are we willing to support?” The results of these surveys – both quantitative and free-form – were studied using both statistical methods and in the light of the Revisioning Team’s many years of CUUPS experience.

The end result is a mission statement for the next ten years. The final statement posted on the Nature’s Path blog was approved with 94% of the membership voting yes.

Over the coming months, the CUUPS Board of Trustees will be communicating its plans for implementing our new mission.

2) Next Friday I’m off to Many Gods West in Olympia, Washington. This is a conference by polytheists for polytheists, organized by Niki Whiting, P. Sufenas Virius Lupus, and Rhyd Wildermuth. There will be two and a half days of presentations, rituals, and the kinds of conversations it’s hard to have in the mundane world… or even at Pagan conventions.

I’ll be presenting “Preparing the Way of the Gods” on Saturday at 7:00 PM PDT. Advanced registration is closed, but registration will be available at the door.

3) There have been a lot of crowdfunding campaigns to get people to Many Gods West. A hotel-based conference makes effective use of organizers and participants’ time and allows participation by those who have physical barriers to camping, but it’s expensive, particularly when it draws from around the country (meaning air fare expenses).

Our community has done a good job of helping people who really want to be at the conference to get there, even if they don’t have the financial resources to do it all themselves. Some people have issues with contributing to one campaign but not others. As I see it, helping one or two is better than not helping anyone.

In a more fair world, crowdfunding wouldn’t be necessary, but it is. I’m glad some polytheists will be there despite limited personal resources.

North Texas Pagan Pride Day - 2013 — *North Texas Pagan Pride Day – 2013*

4) Many Gods West is a specialized conference, but there are many more general Pagan conferences and festivals around the country – there’s probably something fairly close to you. Most (but not all) of the summer festivals are over and the indoor conventions won’t start back up till early next year, but we’re getting close to Pagan Pride season. The national Pagan Pride Project website doesn’t look like it’s been updated in a long time, but look around a bit and you probably can find one in your nearest large city.

There is great value in face to face meetings with your fellow Pagans. There are many gatherings – find one that matches your needs and your budget.

5) Camelia Elias has joined the Agora blog with a twice-monthly column on divination. Her first post The Cartomancer: Fixing Blind Spots with Cards, offers some good advice on reading cards. But go look at it even if you aren’t interested in Tarot – the accompanying photos are absolutely beautiful.

6) July is the dog days of sports. Basketball and hockey are over and football hasn’t started yet. All we’ve got is baseball, and baseball in North Texas is pretty disappointing this year. At least the US women won the World Cup for the first time in 16 years. But football is coming – the Cowboys start training camp on Thursday, and the first NFL preseason game is August 9 – Jason Mankey’s Steelers are playing the Vikings.

I’ll say it one time this season: football is a violent, militaristic, exploitative game that shouldn’t exist in a decent society. But there is nothing else that matches its strategy, athleticism, and pageantry. I love it.

7) I doubt we’ll ever know for sure who killed Sandra Bland. But we know with certainty that if the trooper hadn’t pulled Ms. Bland over for a nitpicky traffic violation that occurs countless times each day, she would still be alive. If he had conducted himself with the restraint and professionalism we expect – and need to start demanding – of our police, she would still be alive.

Police work is hard, dangerous and frustrating. It’s also necessary – sometimes people do things that require them to be locked up. But refusing to submit to the whims of a man with a badge isn’t one of them. If you can’t maintain your cool when dealing with difficult people – particularly when they’re being difficult because you’re abusing your authority – you have no business being a police officer.

8) A police officer is carrying a club, pepper spray, an electro-shock torture device, a gun and a radio. You, at best, are carrying a camera. The officer is part of a judicial system that has demonstrated it protects its own unless there is clear proof they were wrong, and many times it protects them even then. Challenge an officer and you’re playing poker with a hand of nothing against three visible aces. Maybe you think you’re good enough to bluff your way into winning that hand, but when the stakes are quite literally your life, it’s far more sensible to fold and try again next hand.

But what’s sound advice for individuals is ludicrous naiveté for societies. “Don’t challenge the police” is the equivalent of posting a no smoking sign on a leaking pile of high explosives – it may be good advice, but it’s grossly inadequate to prevent a disaster.

9) As I write this, there are 16 Republicans and 5 Democrats running for President in the election that’s over 15 months away. Donald Trump is leading the GOP because he’s saying outrageous things, but once the mainstream Republican candidates start dropping out their supporters will start coalescing around the remaining mainstream candidates, and the Donald will be left out in the cold.

Trump is threatening to run on a 3^rd party ticket, which would pretty much hand the election to the Democrats. I’m not sure if he’s really that arrogant or if he’s trying to negotiate some sort of concession. On second thought, yes, he is that arrogant, but he may be trying to accomplish something beyond all the media attention he’s getting.

As of right now I’m voting for Bernie Sanders.

That’s what I’m thinking – what about you?

Nine Things I Think

January 22, 2015 By John Beckett

1) Please welcome Nature’s Path to Patheos Pagan. This is a new group blog dedicated to UU Paganism. It’s managed by CUUPS Continental Executive Director David Pollard and features a variety of writers with a variety of outlooks on Pagan and Earth-centered belief and practice. It’s good to have a CUUPS blog here at Patheos – while CUUPS is a key part of my spiritual life, I’m hardly your typical UU Pagan (as though there is such a thing).

Speaking of CUUPS, the revisioning surveys have yielded some interesting results and have given us a good look at who we are and what we can build on. I’ll have a post on that the middle of next week on Nature’s Path.

2) There are so many Pagan gatherings this year! Two are in my general vicinity (well, within driving distance) and I’ll be speaking at both of them.

U Bar U at night 2014 — *U Bar U at night*

The ADF Texas Imbolc Retreat is February 6 – 8 at the U Bar U retreat center in Mountain Home, Texas. I was at this event last year and had a great time – it will be good to go back this year. I have two presentations in the works – not sure which one I’ll do, but it will be something new regardless. It’s open to all who are interested in ADF’s polytheistic Druidry and registration is still open.

March 19 – 22 is the first OBOD Gulf Coast Gathering at Fontainebleau State Park in Mandeville, Louisiana. Special guests are Druid and philosopher Brendan Myers and OBOD Tutor Coordinator Susan Jones. I’ll be speaking on Daily Spiritual Practice. The Gulf Coast Gathering is open to OBOD members and friends – the organizers tell me they have a few slots left. If you’re interested, register now.

3) There are many more Pagan gatherings in locations where travel costs become an issue – I can’t do everything I want to do.

I won’t be at Pantheacon this year. After having Pantheacon Envy for several years I finally went last year and really enjoyed it. I just can’t do everything and something has to give. Maybe next year.

I will be at Between the Worlds March 5 – 8 in Hunt Valley, Maryland. I was at the last Between the Worlds in 2012 and found it very enlightening and inspirational. It’s advertised for intermediate and advanced practitioners and the programming fits that description… as do many of the informal conversations that spring up over food, drink, and hallway encounters. I won’t be presenting at Between the Worlds – I’m just participating. Look for me if you’re there.

I’m tentatively planning to be at Many Gods West July 31 – August 2, 2015 in Olympia, Washington. This is a new conference for polytheists inspired by last year’s Polytheist Leadership Conference in New York. If I go I’ll present something, but I need to see how some unrelated things play out before I can commit to being there. I hope to be able to make a decision by the end of February.

4) I’ll be speaking at Denton UU on Sunday, February 15. The service title is “The Care and Feeding of Activists” and it’s inspired by the Pagan Activism Conference Online last November. Services are at 9:30 AM and 11:30 AM – if you’re in the North Texas area, come out and say hello.

5) At the beginning of the year I committed to fast from several activities I thought were a time-suck. My hope was that eliminating these activities would open up time for more spiritual activities. I’ve kept my commitment, but the plan hasn’t worked. I’ve found myself filling that time with other mindless activities. My usual spiritual practices have continued but they haven’t been expanded.

I’ve seen this before and it’s been confirmed again. I can’t take things out of my life, I have to crowd them out. I also have to be honest with myself as to how much time I can devote to any one thing, even things that are of supreme importance.

6) There is one more real football game left this year. This season went better than I expected. In the colleges, the Tennessee Volunteers went 7-6, their first winning season since 2009. They played a lot of freshmen this year – the progress should continue next year.

In the NFL, the Cowboys were predicted to have a losing season after three straight years of 8-8. Instead, they went 12-4, won a playoff game and came very close to winning a second. I actually enjoyed following them this year.

7) I haven’t enjoyed the playoffs. I’m 7-3 picking who I thought would win (didn’t make any money – I don’t bet on sports), but I’m 1-9 on teams I wanted to win. So in the Super Bowl I’ll be cheering for the Patriots… the cheating Patriots with their cheating quarterback and their obnoxious coach. Yeah, that’s it: I really want the Patriots to beat the Seahawks.

In a perfect world I wouldn’t care about sports, but I do.

8) I hesitate to draw spiritual lessons from a game as violent as football, but I couldn’t help noticing the improvements with Dallas this year. Head Coach Jason Garrett is sometimes called “Coach Process” by the local media because he goes on and on about “it’s a process” in his press conferences.

He has a point. Focus on doing the right things, do them the best you can, control what you can control and don’t worry about what you can’t control, and don’t worry about the outcome. The results will come in their own time.

Kinda reminds me of a very old recipe for magic.

9) Remember that Facebook is throttling all posts and is now showing less than 5% of posts from pages. A simple way to make sure you get all the posts from Under the Ancient Oaks (and the other blogs on Patheos) is to subscribe by e-mail. Simply enter your address in the box on the right of the screen. You’ll get e-mail notifications when new posts go up and you won’t get a boatload of spam.

Or you can follow me on Twitter (@utaoDruid) or Ello (@johnbeckett).

That’s what I’m thinking – what about you?